Old tappan's ‘Strongman Challenge’ returns in fight against rare cancer

By DEENA YELLIN

staff writer |

The Record

OLD TAPPAN — The Sixth Annual Varsity House Strongman Challenge, sponsored by Varsity House for the Michael Laviola Foundation, will be held Saturday.

The event will be held at the Varsity House Gym in Old Tappan and will begin at 10 a.m.

All proceeds from the challenge will be donated to the Michael LaViola Foundation, which raises money for finding a cure for Pediatric Sarcomas, a rare form of cancer, and two $1,500 scholarships for graduating students of Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan.

The Strongman Challenge is geared for middle school, high school and college aged athletes who compete in a wide range of events. Prizes and giveaways are distributed to all contestants. More than 60 participants are expected to compete this year, said organizers.

In February 2008, Michael LaViola lost his fight against Synovial Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that strikes fewer than 500 people annually in the United States, mostly in their 20s and 30s. He was a 2005 graduate of Northern Valley/Old Tappan High School who loved football, boating, fishing and the NY Giants.

The annual fundraiser is held every year in June to mark his June 28 birthday. This year he would have been 27.

The purpose of the event, said Michael’s father, Retired Alpine Police Capt. Michael Laviola, is “to “continue the legacy of Michael LaViola who looked cancer in the eye and said ‘I will beat you with all I have.’ His other quote was ‘Never, never, never, give up.’ ”

LaViola of Old Tappan, said “during his last months, his physician, Dr. Melinda Merchant, who is also a research oncologist, vowed to him that she will work on finding a cure for Synovial Sarcoma, and to this day she is involved with other doctors in finding a cure for Synovial as well as other sarcomas.”

The proceeds of the event go towards the National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute, where Dr. Merchant conducts research.

For more information on the Strongman event, contact Varsity House/Joe Riggio or Dan Goodman at 201-767-1305

Old tappan's ‘Strongman Challenge’ returns in fight against rare cancer

By DEENA YELLIN

staff writer |

The Record

OLD TAPPAN — The Sixth Annual Varsity House Strongman Challenge, sponsored by Varsity House for the Michael Laviola Foundation, will be held Saturday.

The event will be held at the Varsity House Gym in Old Tappan and will begin at 10 a.m.

All proceeds from the challenge will be donated to the Michael LaViola Foundation, which raises money for finding a cure for Pediatric Sarcomas, a rare form of cancer, and two $1,500 scholarships for graduating students of Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan.

The Strongman Challenge is geared for middle school, high school and college aged athletes who compete in a wide range of events. Prizes and giveaways are distributed to all contestants. More than 60 participants are expected to compete this year, said organizers.

In February 2008, Michael LaViola lost his fight against Synovial Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that strikes fewer than 500 people annually in the United States, mostly in their 20s and 30s. He was a 2005 graduate of Northern Valley/Old Tappan High School who loved football, boating, fishing and the NY Giants.

The annual fundraiser is held every year in June to mark his June 28 birthday. This year he would have been 27.

The purpose of the event, said Michael’s father, Retired Alpine Police Capt. Michael Laviola, is “to “continue the legacy of Michael LaViola who looked cancer in the eye and said ‘I will beat you with all I have.’ His other quote was ‘Never, never, never, give up.’ ”

LaViola of Old Tappan, said “during his last months, his physician, Dr. Melinda Merchant, who is also a research oncologist, vowed to him that she will work on finding a cure for Synovial Sarcoma, and to this day she is involved with other doctors in finding a cure for Synovial as well as other sarcomas.”

The proceeds of the event go towards the National Institute of Health/National Cancer Institute, where Dr. Merchant conducts research.

For more information on the Strongman event, contact Varsity House/Joe Riggio or Dan Goodman at 201-767-1305